Connecticut will continue to set aside housing vouchers for families enrolled in the state’s Head Start program in 2025.
Head Start supports low-income parents and their young children. By setting aside vouchers, officials say they can cut through some of the time-consuming red tape and quickly place families in safe housing.
The program is called Head Start on Housing.
So far, officials say it’s helped more than 140 families. State Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno said the initiative is among the first of its kind nationwide.
“We’re trying to be more thoughtful of how we help and how we prevent [homelessness], how we eliminate barriers, to show that everybody deserves a place to call home,” Mosquera-Bruno said.
Mosquera-Bruno said they’ll set aside 50 vouchers for 2025.
Lisa is one of the parents who got a voucher through the program. Before one of her children was approved to join Head Start, Moore and her six children were homeless.
Now, they live in a five-bedroom house.
“My kids are happy. I'm happy. I've never lived a stress-free life. I've always worked. I've never had any help. So I'm very lucky to have this type of help that I have now,” Lisa said.
Connecticut Gov, Ned Lamont (D) said other states have inquired about modeling the program.
“What we have here is a program that we put together that integrates child care and home,” Lamont said. “And the two are absolutely invaluable.”
